I was reading on the www.hawaiibusiness.com an article by Jackie M. Young on Jill Morton. Jill discusses how people are affected psychologically and physiologically by color. This is her field of expertise. She has been a consultant to many well known companies and tells us that colors take on new meaning over the decades.
I do think that is true. There were the eras of gingham. Red and white, black and white, green and white, etc. lined the fabric store shelves. They were used after WW II in clothes, curtains, and table linens. They were simple and lent an charm to our homes; they brought beauty and life back into our world.
There were the classic pin stripes that seem to come and go. They always look so smart and stylish as men had dress shirts with this slight touch of color. Tweeds, brocades, and silks all emerged along the way to add style to our homes.
Color can influence the way one thinks. It can change our actions and cause others to reaction. Whether it is calming or irritating can affect our disposition. Just think about when you have a headache. Would you want to be in a bright red room? What is the most irritating color for you?
From the time we are children, we are influenced by our bedrooms and the classrooms we are taught in each day. Are they cheerfully decorated in yellows, blues, or pinks? Are they clean and practical? How are we dressed?
Are the greens drab and passive? For some of us, green may make you think of the Chicago River during St Patrick’s Day when the river takes on a hue. It may remind you of the olive colored swamp lands in the South Pacific. Where there are monkeys swinging from the branches, or the slime and color of nearby creeks. Soft greens make me recall the color of doctors offices and hospital corridors when I was a child.
Since the 90’s, I have the habit of selecting a color at the beginning of Advent and one at Lent. It helps me take on a better attitude. I have selected red for passion and tried to be more giving. I have tried green for Lent and looked ahead to the natural greens of the earth sprouting new vegetation. Another year, I selected orange. I bought an orange trench coat and purse. It was a source of strength like one gets from the vitamin C in orange juice. I was on a high of feeling energy.
One year when things were bleak and my husband was very ill, I selected metallic gold. I decided it would be a time to be positive. I bought gold foiled candy for my office. I put up a small tree that my colleagues called “anorexic”, but I love it and decorated it in all gold ornaments. Gold garland decorated the windows. I purchased a metal sculptured nativity of Mary, Joseph, and the Christ child that was about 2 inches deep, but about 8 X 8. It sat on the window ledge as a ongoing reminder of the season; a season of HOPE! Thinking back to that time, I do believe the whole mindset carried me into a new year. That was 15 years ago and so many wonderful things have happened since then.
Advertising has been using colors on a subliminal basis for years to get us to react to products. The colors unite us to the Holidays. Red, white, and blue are the patriot colors of the United States and adorn our villages and communities during Memorial Day and the 4th of July. Red, yellow, rust, and orange are the colors of the fall season! Orange and black take us into the Halloween season. Red and white call
us into the days of holly berries, candy canes, and hanging stockings. Reds lead us to Valentines Day and green into St Patrick’s Day and the beginning of spring.
So unless you are color blind (where you see shades of gray) enjoy the wide range of colors to elevate your spirit and bring joy to your world. Wear the colors that make you feel like engaging with other people. Let them enhance your eyes and skin tones. Let color lift you to new heights.
Is it any wonder that we are all uplifted by the prism of color that shines through stained glass? Or the lovely crystal waters of a waterfall that reflect the gentle blues of the sky? Find your colors every season and let them raise your spirits and give you added meaning to life.
May your day be graced with vibrancy and joy. “Delight in Living!”